Which is the best Ottolenghi salad from Plenty More?
We put Ottolenghi’s salads to the test this week with four of our staff making recipes from Plenty More, and four other staff members acting as judges. Here are the results.
Elke Power made Pink Grapefruit and Sumac Salad (pg. 32):
After turning every page of the book and being overwhelmed with choice, I chose the first salad with in-season ingredients. Even so, I could not find any red chicory and had to choose between giant green chicory or radicchio as the closest alternatives. I decided to use radicchio purely for the colour!
This isn’t a salad I would recommend making if you are very pressed for time because separating the grapefruit segments can’t be rushed, however, it is very straightforward and I enjoyed making it.
Judges’ comments: Tangy and vibrant; bold combination of flavours; best presentation; interesting and original.
Emily Harms made Carrot and Lentil Salad (pg. 181):
I chose this one as I believe the mung bean is underrated and I love any opportunity to let it shine! Unfortunately with a busy weekend, I didn’t get around to buying the ingredients until Sunday afternoon at a new farmers market where there wasn’t a dried mung bean in site - argh! I did at least find some local feta to crumble on top though. Instead of mung beans, I used my trusty lentils that were hiding in the back of my cupboard. I also wanted to use some homegrown produce so I zested my lemon and chopped fresh coriander and chillies from our garden.
As I didn’t start prepping until late Sunday night, I must admit this salad isn’t my pièce de résistance… But luckily for me it was a really easy one to whip up at such a time of night.
Judges’ comments: Great mix of textures and very morish; zesty; a meal in itself and very satisfying; tastes ‘wordly’; LOVE the cheese.
Bronte Coates made Raw Beetroot and Herb Salad (pg. 21):
I’m a huge fan of fresh herbs in a salad so I couldn’t go past this recipe. I also had a misguided idea that this might be an easy one to prepare given that there was basically no cooking involved (except for roasting some seeds and nuts).
Sadly I had not factored in just how much time it takes to pick herbs leaves or exactly how many leaves constituted 40g of basil, 20g of parsley, 20g of coriander, 10g of tarragon, and so forth. By the time I’d finished picking leaves my earlier well-meaning intentions to ‘julienne’ the beetroot had vanished and I instead turned to the grater. Luckily, I don’t think this impacted too much on the salad’s integrity!
Judges’ comments: Very fresh; the flavoursome herbs contrasted perfectly with the gorgeous sweetness of the raw grated beetroot; can still taste individual elements.
Chris Gordon made Honey-roasted Carrots without Tahini Yoghurt (pg. 175):
This is an easy-peasy dish with which to impress. You simply take the humble carrot and mix it with delicious herbs, bake at a high temperature and boom-baby-boom: you have a meal that will lift your spirits.
And because I couldn’t resist, I also made the Walnut and Halva Cake (pg. 327). I love a cake that doubles as an afternoon pick-me-up and an impressive dessert. Yotam reckons you can serve this with luscious cream and I agree, but I’d add that it’s also good with a spread of margarine or butter. This is a classic cake recipe – no surprises whatsoever – but with a decadent mix of nuts and nonsense to give it a twist. And it also looks fab!
Judges’ comments: It’s strength was in its simplicity; light and refreshing dressing; herbalicious; you could serve it warm or cold, and with anything.
The winning salad was the Pink Grapefruit and Sumac Salad!
Our judges said: In this salad, grapefruit was stripped of all the bitter pith leaving just the fruit bursting with freshness on a bed of radicchio, watercress and basil. It sounded like a lot of work to peel the grapefruit, let alone create the reduction to sprinkle over the salad, but the result was simply mouthwatering! And the oil dressing was just right to complement the sweetness of the grapefruit and the savoury radicchio. This salad was the most interesting one to look at and the most surprising to taste. It would also make a great dish to include on Christmas Day.
